Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Summer and Set Lists

Here we are, the day after Memorial Day, which means summer has started, right? Except that a lot of us are still in school. I suspect that most of us are experiencing summer weather; down here, we've been enjoying (or enduring) summer weather for several months. Our default weather position down here is hot with blinding sun. Unlike the rest of the country, we could really use some rain. My yard is crunchy.

Of course, we'll soon be in the rainy season, and hurricane season starts tomorrow. It's not uncommon for us to get 10 inches of rain in an afternoon storm. I have one more day of not thinking about hurricanes, so let me stop.

If we were rock stars, we might be gearing up for the summer touring season. If you were part of my mandolin punk band, you might be packing too. Lots of bands make the bulk of their money by touring and selling CDs and other stuff (or do they sell CDs at concerts anymore?).

As poets, we may not have a touring season, but as we plan poetry readings, we can learn from our musician friends. I wrote a Voice Alpha post on putting together a set list, and Thursday, I'll follow up with a post for those of us who have several books, which might complicate putting together a set list.

My next poetry reading isn't until August, unless I arrange something else, so I have plenty of time to think about my set list. More immediately, it's back to work for me; in addition to my own job, I'll be doing some of the duties of a coworker who's taking some vacation time. My vacation time will come later in June, when I have to take time or lose it. Yesterday gave me a little taste of vacation time. I'm ready for an extended vacation, even if I won't be spending it at the music festivals of my youth.

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About Me

A poet, a scholar, an administrator, a wanna-be mystic--always wrestling with the temptation to run away to join an intentional community--but would it be contemplative? social justice oriented? creative? in the mountains? in the inner city?--may as well stay planted and wrestle with these tensions and contradictions here, at the edge of America.